I’m adding an outdoor patio to my café this summer and need a little extra help. I am considering hiring my 13-year-old nephew, but I’m wondering if there are any issues related to hiring someone that young?

Dear Working Wise:

I’m adding an outdoor patio to my café this summer and need a little extra help. I am considering hiring my 13-year-old nephew, but I’m wondering if there are any issues related to hiring someone that young? Signed, Anxious Owner

Dear Anxious:

Summer jobs are a great way for teens to save money for a car or their post-secondary education. Jobs also help kids learn critical employability skills, good work habits, and the true value of a dollar.

Young workers are covered by the same employment standards, e.g., holiday pay and minimum wage, as other workers, but there are some special rules employers should know when it comes to employing people under the age of 18.

Adolescent Albertans, aged 12-14, can work in the following approved jobs:

- office messenger or clerk;

- delivery person (e.g., flyers, flowers);

- retail store clerk (e.g., music store); and

- certain jobs in the restaurant and food-service industry, with restrictions.

Permitted food-service industry jobs include: host/hostess, cashier, dishwasher, busser, server, customer service, order assembler, and cleaner.

But, they can not accept work that may harm their life, health, education or welfare. For these reasons, adolescents can not:

- sell liquor in licensed premises;

- work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.;

- work during normal school hours;

- work in areas where smoking is permitted;

- work without continuous adult supervision;

- work for longer than two hours on a school day;

- work for longer than eight hours on a non-school day; or

- use or work near dangerous equipment such as deep fryers, grills or slicers.

A Safety Checklist of Adolescent Employees in Restaurant and Food Services must also be completed and signed by the employer, adolescent and parents before the young worker can start working. 

Adolescents may be able to take on other jobs, but the employer, adolescent and his/her parents must first apply for a permit, jointly, to employ an adolescent. Employers and parents are responsible for ensuring that adolescent workers are competent and safe.

Employers are required by the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code to keep young workers safe by:

- completing a written hazard assessment;

- controlling or eliminating all safety hazards;

- ensuring the health and safety of the employee; and

- warning the adolescent about any hazards that may affect him or her.

Teens, aged 15 to 17, have fewer restrictions and are free to take on more types of jobs, but they are subject to special conditions as well.

Alberta Human Services has published tip sheets for employers and parents on hiring younger workers, which are available at: http://humanservices.alberta.ca/working-in-alberta/5369.html.

If you have any more questions about employing younger workers, call the Alberta Employment Standards helpline at 1-877-427-3731 or visit http://employment.alberta.ca  and click on Safe and Fair Workplaces under Working in Alberta.

Good luck!

Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Charles Strachey is a manager with Alberta Human Services. This column is provided for general information.

My son works for a small construction company. It’s frustrating to hear that he works in unsafe conditions at times, without proper equipment, supervision and training. Who is responsible for ensuring his safety?

Dear Working Wise:

My son works for a small construction company. It’s frustrating to hear that he works in unsafe conditions at times, without proper equipment, supervision and training. Who is responsible for ensuring his safety? Signed, Worried

Dear Worried:

Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Your son is responsible for working safely, helping keep the workplace safe and watching out for co-workers.

Employers must comply with the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act, Regulation and Code, including:

- Keeping equipment in safe working order;

- Properly labelling and storing dangerous chemicals;

- Informing their workers of any dangers on the job site;

- Developing safe work procedures and ensuring workers follow them;

- Ensuring workers perform their duties as required by the OHS legislation;

- Arranging for medical assessments for workers exposed to specific hazards.

- Monitoring workers who may be exposed to hazards such as chemicals or noise;

- Ensuring workers have the training and experience needed to do their jobs safely.

Workers must:

- Take reasonable care to keep themselves and co-workers safe;

- Wear personal protective equipment required by their employer;

- Take and follow health and safety training provided by their employer;

- Follow health and safety work procedures developed by their employer;

- Refuse work that may put them or another worker in “imminent danger”;

- Report unsafe or malfunctioning equipment to the employer immediately;

- Avoid tasks they are not competent to do unless they are being supervised.

Reporting workplace injuries to WCB-Alberta
For employees working in workplaces covered by workers’ compensation, there are separate requirements for reporting injuries to the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB). These requirements are covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act, which is different from the OHS legislation. For more information and access to WCB publications and forms, go to: www.wcb.ab.ca

The Government of Alberta promotes safe and healthy workplaces in a number of ways, including:

·   Leading Work Safe Alberta: a strategy to strengthen and expand partnerships amongst employers, workers and government to make our workplaces safer;

·   Partnering with safety associations, industry groups, employers, educational institutions and labour organizations;

·   Recognizing employers who have developed a health and safety management system and met established standards with a Certificate of Recognition.

·   Enforcing the OHS Act, Regulation and Code through inspections, investigations and prosecutions;

·   Publishing OHS statistics;

·   Supporting North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH), May 5- 11, 2013; and

·   Educating employers and workers through free online training and public awareness campaigns, including: Before It’s an Injury, Bloody Lucky, etc.

If your son has a concern about safety at work, he should raise it with his supervisor. If his concern is not taken safely, he can call Alberta Occupational Health and Safety, toll-free, at 1-866-415-8690 for advice and information.

For more information and tips on safe and healthy workplaces, visit http://humanservices.alberta.ca/ohs.

Do you have a work-related question? Send your questions to Working Wise, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Charles Strachey is a manager with Alberta Human Services. This column is provided for general information.